NSURLConnection not starting

I am trying to create a very simple application that connects to a URL and gets the content of that URL, in this case it is a simple XML document. My problem is that the request is never sent.

I created a new project (Foundation tool) that runs from the main file. I have set up delegate NSURLConnection for myself and implement the required delegation methods. The problem is that these methods are never called. It doesn't matter if I change the url to some dummy one (like in the example below). It looks to me like the app finishes launching without sending or waiting for a response. Maybe my application creates a thread for the request and then ends without waiting for a response? I know the class is running since I am receiving NSLOG statements of type "Created Connection", but no NSLOG statements from delegate methods.

What am I missing?

#import "NetworkController.h"
@implementation NetworkController

- (id)init
{
    if(self = [super init])
    {

    }   
    return self;
}
- (void)dealloc
{
    NSLog(@"Calling dealloc");
    [super dealloc];
}
- (void) performConnection
{
    NSMutableData *receivedData;
    NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:[NSString stringWithFormat:
                                       @"http://www.test.php?some variables"]];

    NSMutableURLRequest *connectionRequest = [NSMutableURLRequest requestWithURL:url
                                                       cachePolicy:NSURLRequestReloadIgnoringCacheData timeoutInterval:60.0];
    [url release];
    NSURLConnection *theConnection=[[NSURLConnection alloc] initWithRequest:connectionRequest delegate:self startImmediately:YES];

    if (!theConnection)
    {
        NSLog(@"Failed to submit request");
    }
    if(theConnection)
    {
        receivedData=[[NSMutableData data] retain];
        NSLog(@"Created connection.");

        NSLog(@"--------- Request submitted ---------");
        NSLog(@"receivedData: %@", receivedData);
    }

    [connectionRequest release];
}

#pragma mark NetworkController Delegate
- (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection didReceiveResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
{
    NSLog(@"Received response: %@", response);
    NSLog(@"Received response, connection retain count is %d",[connection retainCount]);
}

#pragma mark NetworkController Delegate
- (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection didReceiveData:(NSData *)data {
    NSLog(@"Connection received data, retain count: %d", [connection retainCount]);
}

#pragma mark NetworkController Delegate
- (void)connectionDidFinishLoading:(NSURLConnection *)connection{
    NSLog(@"finished connection retain count:  %d", [connection retainCount]);}

#pragma mark NetworkController Delegate
- (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection didFailWithError:(NSError *)error {
    NSLog(@"Error receiving response: %@", error);
    [connection release];
}

@end

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import "NetworkController.h"

int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) {
    NSAutoreleasePool * pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];


    NetworkController *n = [[NetworkController alloc] init];
    n.performConnection;
    [n release];

    // insert code here...
    NSLog(@"Hello, World!");
    [pool drain];
    return 0;
}